Microsoft has failed in its attempt to have its Office Open XML document format fast-tracked straight to the status of an international standard by the International Organization for Standardization. The proposal must now be revised to take into account the negative comments made during the voting process. Microsoft expects that a second vote early next year will result in approval, it said Tuesday. That is by no means certain, however, given the objections raised by some national standards bodies.

"Microsoft themselves are not comitting Office to conform with the eventual form of OOXML."

That's actually pretty scary to think that a company who is trying to play the standards submission game isn't going to play by the standards rules if the standards body won't conform to the rules of the company in question.

[sarcasm] I'm quite sure I'm not alone in saying that I smell a ruse for the next 10 years.